County collector offers tax tips

BENTON -- If you've purchased a home this year don't forget to make sure you get your tax bill for it.

"If you bought the house, you bought the taxes that go with it," said Scott County Collector Mark Hensley.

Unless the collector is notified of the sale, tax statements for real estate property are probably going to be sent to the person who owned the property at the beginning of the year, Hensley explained, while the person owning the property at the end of the year is actually responsible for paying the taxes.

"The tax bill may be in the name of the person owning the property on Jan. 1," he said. "They may not send that on to the new owner, and he may not have received it, but that does not clear them of any tax obligation."

When it comes to personal property such as cars and boats, the rules are different.

"Personal property is whatever you own as of Jan. 1," Hensley said. "Look at the vehicles on your tax statement to make sure they are the correct vehicles you owned as of Jan. 1, 2006."

Tax levies in Scott County are pretty much the same as last year, Hensley said.

"I don't know of any major increases. There were a couple of small increases," he said. Accordingly, if a county resident has a significantly higher tax bill, chances are "it is because they have purchased a new car."

Hensley said merchant license billing has also been mailed out.

"Anyone that has a business that sells a good is required to have a county merchant license," he said. "If they do not receive a statement and they have an operating business, then they need to contact the collector's office and register."